Masked
by lovecomyes17
Summary: AU-A Miraculous Cinderella Story. Marinette believed in happy endings until tragedy struck. Now she lives miserably. Her only comfort coming from a mysterious boy that goes by the penname Chat Noir on the internet-someone she has never met personally until the masquerade ball hosted by her school. But that's when everything gets complicated. Will Marinette get her happy ending?
1. Once Upon A Time

**Hello! This is a short prologue but I hope you enjoy!~ It will be more Adrienette than the other ships. But don't worry the others will also be included. This story will be similar to a Cinderella story but with a couple twist and turns because I like to cause suspense xD. Enjoy!**

 **This story is also posted in A03 under the same name.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug. All rights go to their respective owners. I don't own Cinderella either.**

* * *

 _Once Upon A Time_

Every story generally starts with a happy beginning. For Marinette Dupain-Cheng it was no different. She was born to the most lovable parents in the world. Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng were the closest to perfect parents one could ever ask for. They devotedly cared for their daughter from her first cry, to the first time she accidentally stubbed her toe at the edge of her crib, and the multiple situations that followed after their accident-prone daughter.

But no matter what absurd situations came into their life, Tom and Sabine never loved their daughter any less. On the contrary they found their daughter's quirks adorable and enduring.

Growing up with parents like hers, Marinette considered herself quite lucky. Sure, she might have two left feet, stumble upon the smallest crease on the floor, and the concept of time was definitely never on her side-still she thought her life almost perfect. She wouldn't change it for the world.

Unfortunately, sometimes life has a way of throwing things that you could never expect to happen at you, and sometimes things that you didn't want to change do.

Just like that night…

" _Mama, Papa-I'm home!" Marinette announced closing the door to her home and her parents bakery (Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Pastisserie), trying her best to sound cheerful but at the very last note failing. _

_Tom who was boxing some sweets looked up at the very same moment that his wife, who was counting the money in the cash register for the afternoon, looked up at their daughter, knowing by her expression that something was undeniably wrong._

" _Something the matter sweetie?" Sabine questioned first._

" _Ugh nothing out of the usual," the one bun, dark blue hair girl replied, huffing. "Just my awesome luck, I met the most horrible person in my class today," She says sarcastically sniffing around the bakery to the intoxicating sweet smell of her parent's pastries. Her stomach grumbled in sweet anticipation as she look at a croissant left on a plate and went for it._

" _It's only the first day of class honey, I'm sure things will lighten up soon. You know sometimes when we first meet someone we don't always get along with them, just look at your father and I." Sabine smiled tenderly closing the cash register._

 _Marinette thought about how that particular person picked on her today and something told her that she might never get along with that said person._

" _Your mother is right Marinette," Tom laughed remembering. He comes to stand beside his wife. "We couldn't stand each other once and now look we can't stand being apart from each other."_

 _Marinette smiled back at her parents, being witness of their love for each other, she decided it was best to drop the subject. At least she would only be with that person for a school year and she would only see her at school. She'll just have to manage in the meantime._

 _The rest of the night pass with nothing out of the usual. Marinette was in her room drawing on her sketchpad when she heard the bell to the entry of the bakery ring loudly and a powerful crash followed right after making Marinette jump in her seat and drop her sketchpad. She glanced at her clock concerned, knowing it was too late for the bakery to have visitors._

" _Help me! Help me!" A beautiful melodic voice called out desperately. "You have to help me!"_

 _What is going on?_

 _Marinette rose from her chair, she started heading for the opening to downstairs. But before she could get there though an explosion went off and the last thing she remembers is her ears ringing, her whole body slammed in the ground._

 _She thought she had only passed out for a second but when she blinked again to focus she saw smoke and heard sirens at a distance._

 _Her heart gave in at the sight of smoke._

" _Mama? Papa!"_

 _Marinette pulled herself up, rushing to the door that finally bolted open, and all she saw was pitch black fog clouding everything. She couldn't see a darn thing._

" _Mama?" She called again, stumbling down the stairs. "Papa! Where are you?" She yelled terrified, and coughing from the amount of smoke present._

 _No matter where she looked at all she saw was smoke and fire. The bakery was burning to bits in front of her._

 _Tears sprawled in her cheeks._

 _This couldn't be happening, she thought through the fear in her heart._

 _In her desperate search she tripped on the corner of a stool, landing right smack into the ground. It took her a moment to notice a sticky substance in the floor beside her. Blood drops._

 _No! Marinette paled._

 _Blood wasn't the only thing in the floor, peacock feathers were scattered all over the floor. Marinette gripped one of the feathers._

 _That was when the door open and she saw a fire fighter enter._

" _We have a live victim!" He called entering, the next moment picking up Marinette. "Don't worry you're going to be okay."_

" _My parents-," she coughed, her vision blurring from the tears. "My parents-I need to- they were-my parents-"She stutter through coughs and tears as the fire fighter carried her out of the bakery towards safety. "My parents are still in there!" She shouted finally when she saw her house burning._

 _The T in the bakery sign falling and crashing down._

" _Everything is going to be all right we're going to find your parents," The fire fighter assured giving her an oxygen mask._

 _But they never found them._

 _Marinette wished it were all a nightmare. When the hours passed and no news about her parents came. She felt her whole body shaking. She kept seeing the bakery burning even though the fire fighters had quench the fire a long time ago. They found no one in the fire that burn 60 percent of the whole building before it was stopped. They couldn't figure out what started the fire either. They were completely mystified on the events that happened that night._

 _The only thing they knew for sure was that the blood samples that they had found that hadn't been destroyed by the fire belong to neither of Marinette's parents but instead matched with a woman Marinette did not even know. The woman that disappeared on the same day that her parents did._

 _All alone without knowing what happened to her parents, Marinette didn't know what to do. She had never felt so lost. She was only 13 at the time and she felt like her bad luck had taken the worst turn._

 _That is exactly when Mayor Bourgeois decided to step in. He had been friends with her parents and as a politician he saw the perfect opportunity to boost his popularity among the Parisians by taking in a girl who lost everything. He bought the bakery and adopted Marinette. He was not a cruel man, but he was blinded by many things including how badly he spoiled his daughter._

 _His daughter-Chloe the one person that was dead set on making Marinette's life miserable along with her best friends Sabrina and Lila. Between the three of them Marinette was the object of their constant teasing and bantering for the following years._

 _Still Marinette knew that her parents would want her to be happy, and for that reason she knew all she had to do was endure and maybe…. just maybe her luck might miraculously change one day._

* * *

 _ **~~~ I have chapter two almost done so it should come out quickly :D**_


	2. Miraculous Dot Com

_**It may be too early for this but….I never said Tom and Sabine died….did I? (Smiles).**_

 _ **Happy New Years! Here's Chapter 2. Not as dark and more long for you guys. Thanks for the reviews.**_

* * *

 _Chapter 2. Miraculous Dot Com._

 _4 years later._

"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!"

Out of all things to wake up on an early September morning, waking up to the upsetting voice of Chloe coming from a megaphone blasting through her ear definitely was not the best wake up call.

Marinette eyes popped open widely as her ears rang. "AH!-Whoa!" Marinette stumbled down her bed, covering her ears with both her hands. She feared her ears would have permanent hearing damage. Her stumble down the bed brought all the materials in the drawer beside her bedpost tumbling down along with her.

Chloe smirk crossing her arms with the megaphone, satisfied. "You're late. Don't you remember how I specifically told you that I want my breakfast ready by 7 a.m.? Like seriously are you deaf? What do you expect me to eat now-?"

"You have servants to assist you Chloe, you don't need me to do your breakfast for you," Marinette sighed now uncovering her ears.

"Duh! Of course, I have servants I am the mayor's daughter, Chloe Bourgeois." Chloe proudly proclaimed, flipping her blond hair. "But don't you forget that you are just lucky to be here because of me! Because of MY generous family! You will never be one of us! You're just a stray taken in," She chuckled.

The words hurt, but after hearing it frequently for years Marinette kind of got used to it. She knew she could never look at Chloe like a sister or a friend.

"That means that you owe us all servitude!" Chloe finish her thin lips spreading further. "Don't you ever forget that Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Now hurry up and clean my room I'm having some friends over after school."

Marinette's jaw locked containing her anger towards Chloe like she has always done before. Her friends probably consisted of Sabrina and Lila. She checked her clock seeing it was a quarter after 7.

"Chloe…that's impossible! School starts in 40 minutes and y-your room is-," Marinette couldn't even find a word that would describe Chloe's room. That fashionista's hell hole. She thought of all Chloe's designer clothes, thousands of shoes, mass of make-up, loads of magazines, and God- her millions of hair products and accessories. "A disaster." Marinette whispered horrified. How did Chloe honestly think Marinette could finish cleaning and organizing that hurricane before school starts. "Besides I have to work right after school I can't clean your room today."

"Excuse you," Chloe muttered, making a show of expecting her nails, but Marinette already knew she was only doing it to show off her manicure hands to Marinette. "I didn't ask if you could Marinette, you will." And with that she flipped her blond ponytail again and stormed out of Marinette room.

The moment the door shut to her room. Marinette grabbed a pillow and scream into it. Chloe could be such a…such a…- monster! Ugh! Marinette vented her anger as she sometimes wished to duct tape Chloe mouth or just make her go away forever. She stuck her head up from the pillow now that her anger was passing slightly.

If only things had been different. If she hadn't ended up living with Cruella de vil's daughter. If only she was old enough with enough money to take back the bakery that had once been her loving home. She sighed rolling on her back.

"I miss you both," she whispered into the vacant room, thinking of her parents.

She wasn't going to live here forever. Marinette had a plan. She would move out as soon as she graduated. She will become a famous designer and she will take back the bakery instead of working as an employee there.

Finally, a smile came to the blue raven haired girl until she saw the clock again.

7: 29.

 _7:29!_

She had to do a double take on the clock. "Yargh! Oh no!" her hands flew nervously in panic over her head. "Chloe's lair-I mean room! Ah-I'm never going to finish on time…-!" Through stumbles and rushes she change into her pink jeans, floral shirt, and black jacket and rush out to clean Chloe's room.

* * *

"I'm late- I'm late!" Marinette nervously murmured, still stuffing books into her backpack as she ran across to the school. _Well…being late was nothing new-_ a part of her brain told her trying to compensate the fact that she was 3 hours late to school. "Whoops sorry monsieur-!" She halted abruptly but couldn't prevent her clash against an elderly man in a red Hawaiian t-shirt. Her books fell from her backpack and the man's cane flew to her feet.

Great. She sighed again, before helping steading the man, and picking up his cane.

One hand grasping his back, the elderly man simply smiled in return when Marinette returned his cane to him, smiling sheepishly back. "It's all right miss," he patted her helping hand.

At that instant Marinette phone rang on her free hand.

Alya, her best friend was calling… again.

"Have a good day," Marinette replied quickly waving at the elder man, answering her phone.

"Hi Alya."

"Girl where are you! It's almost lunch time! I can't keep covering your butt over here!"

"Er… I'm almost there," Marinette said seeing the school a couple blocks away.

"Like I haven't heard that before," Alya mocked. "I'm almost there Alya I'm just running a little late…-and then a whole hour later you're still on your way." Alya said both playfully and sarcastically, knowing too well that her sweet friend can never arrive on time to save her life.

"I'll explain later Alya," Marinette murmured squinting when she sees that she isn't the only one arriving to school late. She slows down to see someone come out of a silver car right in front of the gates to school.

Even from the distance Marinette could tell who it was. She froze completely smitten staring at the locks of golden hair- yes golden not just blond but a rich beautiful gold color and perfect skin tone, perfect figure, perfect bright green eyes.

 _Perfect everything._

"Adrien," Marinette sighed dreamily guilty running a romantic scenario in her head.

Adrien Agreste, son of her favorite fashion designer, a model- the most caring, sweet, hottest, popular boy at College Francoise Dupont. The boy Marinette has had a crush on since classes started for the semester and the boy she knew she probably will never have. Because despite her mad crush on him Marinette knows better than to pin after him. Even when he sits right in front of her in class.

The number of times she has had an interaction with him she could count in one hand. Not to mention that whenever she tried to have a normal conversation with him she turns into a goo of stuttering mess. He probably doesn't even know she exists.

 _Yeah, and he probably never will._ Marinette stared as he disappeared inside the school.

The sound of the bell ringing for the start of her next class is what snapped Marinette attention back to the priority of going to school. She mentally face-palmed. She was going to be sooo late!

* * *

"Dude, I thought you wouldn't show up today," Nino whispered over to Adrien while the teacher began the class.

Adrien simply shrugged with a forced smile, refusing to talk about it. Thank God that Nino was never one to pry further into his private home business. In the two months since becoming his friend, Nino knew better than to ask Adrien about anything regarding his household and especially not mentioning Adrien's mother.

Everyone at school heard the rumors that Adrien's mother disappeared 4 years ago. No one knows exactly what happened to her. One moment she was there and the next she was gone.

Since her disappearance, Adrien's father has not been the same. Adrien couldn't even remember the last time he shared quality time with his father. Adrien was beginning to think it impossible now. Besides his father practically only enjoyed staying in the mansion, especially his own study room.

But to be fair, his father wasn't the only one who changed. The moment his mother left it seems like it took Adrien's own ray of happiness with her as well.

His thoughts were interrupted when a familiar thud came crashing in from the class door. The whole class stop to stare at the girl who had a tendency of making a great entrance every day.

"Nice of you to drop by Ms. Dupain-Cheng. You were planning on joining us today right?" Ms. Mendeleiev murmured disapprovingly.

"I-uh-sorry," Marinette replied nervously.

Adrien smiled slightly seeing the fumbling girl. He hardly knew her but he always remembered her since his first day here. He had tried talking to her before but she always acted as if she was scared of him.

"You see-," Marinette began, locking her two index fingers nervously together.

"Just take a seat Ms. Dupain-Cheng." Ms. Mendeleive sternly order.

"Yes Ms. Mendeleive," Marinette without another word headed to her seat behind Adrien. At the other end of his seat he could hear Chloe snickering.

Adrien eyes trailed to the sudden sad expression marking over Marinette's face. He has seen it every now and then and part of it reminds him of the day he met her for the first time.

"It's love," Nino whispered next to him.

"What?" Adrien looked back as his friend, a slight blush coming to his cheek.

"This website I was telling you about- it really works! I been talking to this girl and she's amazing!" Nino moved the phone under the desk to show Adrien.

 _Miraculous Dot Com_

Adrien gave his friend a scrutinizing look. What kind of dating website picks the name of Miraculous anyway?

"So…who's the girl?" Adrien asked, vaguely remembering Nino talking about the website before. Something about it being the school's dating website set up by Kim for his graphic design class a couple weeks ago.

"She goes by the penname of Lady Wifi, and she's an active blogger you should see the things she blogs about-"

"Wait you don't know who she is, and you're in love with her?" Adrien grinned in return at his best friend slight coloring.

"Well yeah but that's the point man," Nino answered. "You're not supposed to know who the other person is. You make an avatar or kwami like the website wants to call it, set up your profile, and it automatically links you to someone out there that matches with you."

Adrien briefly scanned Nino page seeing his message board displaying 2 new messages for The Bubbler at akumatized dot com.

"You should join up too bro," Nino murmured encouragingly.

Adrien knew why he did it. Nino feared that Adrien was too lonely. Unfortunately, he was right.

"No way dude," he replied. "It's already bad enough having people constantly ask for my autograph out of school."

"Come on Adrien, we're both awesomely single bachelors and the Masquerade Ball is coming up. We're going to need dates- this is the perfect opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. Besides this website is just for students here! Trust me man you can't pass this opportunity up. Or are you going to start a feline match between Lila and Chloe when you're forced to pick one of them as your date?"

Adrien grimaced. Chloe and Lila were the class notorious frenemies. Both so alike, yet secretly always fighting against one another. But nothing compared to when both were out to get him.

Well when Nino put it that way, how could he refuse.

"Fine I'll try it out."

* * *

"That brat! Again?" Alya yelled at the library later that day once Marinette told her friend all about why she was late.

"Yup," Marinette sighed slumping on her chair. "It took me hours to sort through all her mess!"

"Ugh I can't believe that slimy little-,"

"Shhh. Inside voices please," the librarian scolded from her desk.

Alya quieted down taking a seat beside Marinette. "I just can't believe you have to live with _her._ "

Marinette sighed again, laying her head on the table. "Trust me it's not by choice."

"Girl you deserve to live like a princess not like a-," Alya got interrupted when her phone buzz. Alya took a moment to see the notification. A smiled spread through her face.

Marinette noticed the change in Alya expression and raised an eyebrow. "Alya?"

"Huh Oh!..- Sorry. I'm just getting a message from the guy I've been telling you about."

"The Bubble Guy?" Marinette tried recalling eagerly.

"The Bubbler," Alya corrected.

"Oh Right," Marinette apologized before grinning at her friend. "You're still talking to him? I thought he annoyed you at first."

"He did. But we got to talking more and it turns out we have a lot in common," Alya shrugged. "Which reminds me you promised me you were going to sign up for the website too. Have you?"

Marinette leaned back in her seat, her hands flying up. "Uh…well….no-"

"Marinette!"

"Inside voices!" The librarian reminded them.

"Ah Alya you know I don't have time to do those dating websites and…and…come on look at me," Marinette waved to herself.

Alya blinked confused. "What about it?"

"I'm…just simple poor, boring Marinette that lost my parents and can't get anywhere on time without causing some sort of commotion to embarrass myself," Marinette sighed again, burying her face on her arms in the desk. "No one will want to talk to me, not even on a website."

"Girl," Alya patted her shoulder, gently. "You are amazing. The others are just blind to not see how amazing and beautiful you really are Marinette."

Marinette peeked up at her friend smiling tenderly. Sometimes she thought she had the _Best_ best friend in the whole world. "Thanks, Alya."

"Don't even mention it. Now-," she took Marinette's phone. "I'm making you this profile and that's final."

"Alya!" Marinette groaned but nothing was stopping the fervent blogger and lead reporter of the school's journal when she had a task.

"Let's see what do you want your Kwami to look like," Alya asked casually.

"What?" Marinette asked looking over at the set up page.

"Your avatar. You also need to come up with a penname. No one needs to know who you are-"

For the next couple of minutes Marinette worked on setting up the profile. She moved through the designs of her kwami and her eyes glued to a particular design that reminded her of a ladybug.

Marinette had a thing for ladybugs. Her parents used to tell her ladybugs meant good luck. They even gave her a ladybug yoyo when she was 7 that she still has today. One of the few objects that remain untouched by the fire.

She clicked on it and decided her penname then too. _Ladybug_

As she continued working on her profile. Alya started looking at Paris newsfeed for the school's newspaper when she clicked on a video.

"The number of murders and crimes have escalated in the past few weeks. In correlation to the number of people missing every night. Cops are trying desperately to find if any of the recent cases are related to each other. Strangely enough in each case a black butterfly has been reported to linger around the area where the crime has taken place…-"

"Weird all this gives me a bad feeling," Alya murmured. "It's like a creepy supernatural event."

"Oh no!" Marinette gasped as if she just remembered something. "I'm late for my shift at work!" Marinette rushed out forgetting her phone at the desk as she tried shoving her school books in backpack hastily.

Alya picked up Marinette's phone, realizing Marinette hadn't save her profile yet. She saved it for her. Marinette just had a tendency of forgetting things every time.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Agreste mansion, a man stares at the loving image of a woman with blonde locks and green bright eyes. He does this for hours just thinking about the last time he saw his loving wife for the last time.

Four years ago.

"I won't happen again," he said placing the peacock brooch back into the safe behind the painting of his wife. He took the butterfly brooch instead and attached it to his purple suit, as he gathered a black mask and place it over his head.

A sinister smile escaped through his lips.

He would have to send a message to his assistant that he would miss dinner tonight as well. Because he had important business to do tonight.

* * *

 **~~~Next chapter will be out soon.**


End file.
